181. My excellent Conversation with Steven Pinker
The discussion explores common knowledge, coordination, and rational agreement, touching on psychology, social norms, and the interplay of beliefs in human interactions.
182. Trump to place import taxes on drugs, home furnishings and heavy trucks
The Associated Press reports that President Trump plans to impose significant import taxes on various goods, including drugs and home furnishings, starting October 1.
183. Awaiting August Consumption and Personal Income
Menzie Chinn discusses employment trends, personal income stability, and economic indicators suggesting a slowdown in consumption and growth as of September 2025.
184. Trump advances TikTok deal with new executive order
John Ruwitch discusses a new executive order facilitating a deal for U.S. investors to acquire a majority stake in TikTok, ensuring its continued operation in the U.S.
185. September Vehicle Sales Forecast: Solid, Boosted by EV Sales, Q4 Concerns
The post discusses projected vehicle sales for September 2025, highlighting strong EV demand driven by expiring tax credits, while expressing concerns about Q4 sales dynamics.
186. Snapshots of the Global Robot Population
Timothy Taylor discusses trends in the global robot population, highlighting the growth of industrial and service robots, particularly in China and other leading countries.
187. Starbucks is closing more stores and laying off 900 workers
Alina Selyukh discusses Starbucks' decision to close stores and lay off 900 workers as part of its turnaround strategy.
188. Amazon to pay $2.5 billion to settle U.S. lawsuit that it 'tricked' people into Prime
Amazon has settled a lawsuit regarding allegations of deceptive practices that made it difficult for users to cancel Prime subscriptions.
189. Why Is Trump Bailing Out Argentina?
Paul Krugman discusses Trump's unexpected financial support for Argentina, linking it to his administration's broader agenda and the challenges faced by Argentina's right-wing leadership.
190. Tech can fix most of our problems (if we let it)
Noah Smith argues that technology, particularly AI, can provide solutions to societal problems like disinformation, contrary to the belief that only social change can address these issues.
191. NAR: Existing-Home Sales Decreased to 4.00 million SAAR in August
Bill McBride discusses the NAR report indicating a slight decrease in existing-home sales and changes in inventory and median prices for August.
192. Causal Inference with Spatial Treatments
Scott Cunningham discusses causal inference methods for evaluating spatial treatments, focusing on strategies for selecting control groups in urban economic contexts.
193. Episode 60. Federal Reserve Board Governor Chris Waller on Monetary Policy and Payments
Jon Hartley interviews Chris Waller about monetary policy, inflation, and the Federal Reserve's future actions regarding interest rates and payments.
194. A judge ruled their firings were illegal. The government got to do it anyway
Andrea Hsu discusses a judge's ruling on the illegal firings of federal employees and the government's subsequent actions despite the ruling.
195. Housing prices are causing some people to have smaller families than planned
Laurel Wamsley discusses how rising housing prices are influencing some Americans to have smaller families than they had originally planned.
196. Measuring Benefits of High-Skilled Immigration
An argument that high-skilled immigration, particularly through H-1B visas, boosts economic growth, job creation, and wages for native workers across various skill levels.
197. AIA: "Softness persists at architecture firms" in August
Bill McBride discusses the ongoing softness in architecture firms' billings and inquiries, indicating a decline in new design contracts and caution among clients.
198. ICE First Look at August Mortgage Performance: "Delinquencies Up on Calendar Effect; Foreclosure Activity Slowly Trending Higher"
Bill McBride discusses the rise in mortgage delinquencies and foreclosure activity in August, attributing much of it to a calendar anomaly affecting payment processing.
199. In (Sort of) Defense of (Something Like) Property Taxes
An argument that property taxes are misunderstood, necessary for local services, and could be reformed to better reflect service costs and fairness.
200. AI and the FDA
An argument that AI could revolutionize drug discovery and repurposing, but the FDA's current regulatory framework may hinder these advancements and lead to competitive pressures from other countries.